Date: 4/5/26 2:54 pm From: rainyday via groups.io <c_griz...> Subject: [AKBirding] Sunday, April 5, 2026 FOS Pintails, Wigeon, and Teal
Sunday, April 5, 2026 FOS Pintails, Wigeon, and Teal
Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 7:11 am, sunset 8:51 pm, for a total day length of 13 hours and 40 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 28 seconds longer.
A surprise Spring gift of 3 ½” snow blanketed the ground this morning, followed by an apologetic warm sun that did its best to melt it. Calm, temp rising to 40. More snow/sn’rain in the forecast for mid-week, but it CAN’T last.
While the past week felt like winter in the morning with north winds, the afternoons shifted to spring with south winds. On April 1, I was thrilled to see my First of Season NORTHERN PINTAILS. Such elegant ducks! Also, a small flock of AMERICAN WIGEON.
I heard GREEN-WINGED TEAL, but didn’t see them until the next day when I found five with the usual MALLARDS and GADWALL.
Tasha spotted a EURASIAN TEAL with its distinctive horizontal white bar on Friday!
The overwintering flock of 30 ROCK SANDPIPERS was spotted on April 2 and 3, but only 8 on April 4. The tide washed up many colorful Baltic Macoma clam shells. The whole clams are an important winter food of these most northerly non-breeding shorebirds.
Also heard, but not seen this week were very flighty SNOW BUNTINGS.
The REDPOLLS have completely disappeared, and only a few PINE SISKINS continue to feed at my feeder. Consequently, the resident RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES pop in and out.
More southerly winds will surely help the migrants push farther north into our area and hearts.
While you’re waiting for Spring, if you haven’t already, check out the extremely creative and entertaining Big Year documentary “Listers: A Glimpse into Extreme Birdwatching,” available free on Youtube.
